DATA HANDLING

What Is Data?

Data is information.

An example:

In my fifth grade class we took a pizza lovers survey.

We learned that ten kids liked pepperoni pizza best.

Nine kids liked sausage pizza best.

Seven kids liked cheese pizza best.

This information is called DATA.

What Is Data?

Your report card is another example of data.

Math: 88%

Reading: 94%

Science: 75%

Social Studies: 80%

Language Arts: 55%

My Language Arts

teacher may not like

me.

Data Is Everywhere.

TV

Books

Newspaper

There is way too

much data in

school!

How Do People Use Data?

We use data to

make money.

The data from the

test will help us

cure your disease.

Data is needed to

build things.

We Use Graphs to Organize Data.

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I know my parents will

want to talk to my

Language Arts teacher.

Let’s Learn About Graphs.

There are many different types of graphs.

Let’s learn about two kinds.

1. The bar graph

2. The line graph

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Parts of a graph•There are a few elements common to any graph.

Data Range•The graph is a pictorial interpretation of data. Generally, you will create a spreadsheet that holds

or generates some type of data, then use the graph to illustrate the data. When you define a graph,

you will need some way to explain the data being depicted. You can always select the data you want

from a spreadsheet range.

X and Y axes •As you may remember, the X axis is the horizontal border of the chart. The Y axis is the vertical

border. Most spreadsheet programs try to guess what data you want plotted as the X axis and what

data you want as the Y axis. If the graph looks completely wrong, you might want to look for some

kind of feature that allows you to change the X - Y orientation.

Labels There will usually be an option for setting or changing the labels on a graph. This will allow you to

put informative labels on the graph to make it easier to read. At the minimum, you should label

the X and Y axes.

Graph type You have the option to select/change the type of graph that is displayed. The chart type should be

chosen carefully and is dependent on the data to be displayed.

GRAPHS

•Charts•Used as a data analysis tool. Graphical representations of data are easier

to interpret than numbers.

•Used as a presentation tool for the same reason.

•Chart Types•Column/Bar

•Data represented as vertical columns or

horizontal bars that run from 0 to the

value of the datum.

• The height of a column corresponds to the

magnitude of the datum.

•Data values are on the y-axis for a column

chart and the x-axis in a bar chart.

Opposite axis contains data labels only.

•You may chart multiple data series in a

single chart for comparison purposes.

GRAPHS

•Chart Types

•Line•Data values are on the y-

axis. X-axis contains data

labels only.

•Best used for showing a

trend over a given period of

time.

Dow Jones Average

GRAPHS

•Chart Types•Pie

•Data represented as an area

in a circle expressed as a

percentage of a whole.

•Number of categories should

be kept to a minimum (<10).

•“Other” category should

represent a small percentage

(if used).

PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS OWNING PETS

Under $12,500

$12,500 to $24,999

$25,000 to $39,999

$40,000 to $59,999

$60,000 and over

GRAPHS

Data Handling

(Graphs)

Pictograph

Histogram/Bar graph

Pie Chart

Probability

CONCEPT

MAP